As much as it hurts my wallet, I still enjoy eating around New Orleans. I live in a city with what I believe holds the most amazing selection of outstanding food, so I won’t allow myself to let the opportunity pass. I hope to update this list, and make a sweet color coded google map of all these restaurants someday. Feel free to tell me of any corrections/additions in the comments below.

First off I just want to say this first list is must eats. If you only had a few days to eat in New Orleans, then you just have to go here:

1. Green Goddess
2. Jacque-Imo’s
3. Cochon, or Cochon Butcher
4. Commanders Palace (can’t beat 25 cent amazing Martini’s for lunch on weekdays)

If you want to hits the bars, go here:

1. Cure (cocktails)
2. Cooter Browns (huge beer selection)
3. The Bulldog (another good beer selection)

If you’re looking for things to do, then check these out:

1. Hit Julia St, St. Claude, Royal St, and Magazine St for art
2. Check out Magazine St for cool shopping and randomly great food
3. City park is huge and has an awesome art museum!
4. Audubon park is also amazing with a good zoo
5. There’s an aquarium and even an insectarium
6. Check out the French Quarter and French Market

I go for Breakfast

• Betsy’s Pancakes (The pancakes at this place are incredible. They put the cake in pancakes)
• Oak Street Cafe
• Riccobono’s Panola Street Cafe
• Blue Plate Café
• Surrey’s Juice Bar
• The Ruby Slipper Café (was kinda busy when I went, not great service, food meh for kinda pricy)
• Slim Goodies Diner (great place)
• Camellia Grill (great diner, open late)

Pricey but Well Worth It

• Restaurant August (John Besh, oh my god … it was amazing!)
• Dominica (John Besh, not too expensive, Italian, in Roosevelt Hotel)
• La Provence (John Besh, still need to go, I wanna go, but so far away)
• Luke (John Besh, still need to go, I think John Besh is an amazing star of New Orleans)
• Mike’s East West (good Hawaiin, Japanese awesome)
• Green Goddess (lunch isn’t too bad, food is AMAZING, Highly Recommened!)
• Bayona’s
• Cochon
• Jacque-Imo’s (no reservations, should arrive before 7pm to get a seat quickly)
• Commander’s Palace (25 cent martinis for lunch, reservations highly recommended)
• Herbsaint (renown French dining of New Orleans)
• Stella (still need to go)
• Brennan’s (haven’t been, just heard food things)
• Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse (oh my god … the steak is amazing! pricey like no other, but amazing with incredible service)
• Dick and Jenny’s (like Jacque-Imo’s but a even more expensive. haven’t been, but heard it was good)

Sammiches & Poboys!

• Domilise (1st best poboys)
• Crabby Jacks (2nd best poboys)
• Mahoney’s PO Boy Shop (original poboys and extravagant poboys for a good price)
• Mother’s (poboys and some other soul food)
• Franky & Johnny’s (poboys and other fried goodness)
• Parkway Tavern & Grill (poboys)
• Cochon Butcher (just pure awesome for decent price)
• Stein’s Deli (On Magazine St, this deli has a great New York deli feel with New York bagels. I really enjoyed their sandwich and can’t wait for the next one. They also have a awe-striking imported beer selection, fine wines, and imported goods). You definitely have to try this place out.
• Kosher Cajun Deli and Grocery (In Metairie. A great Jewish selection with amazing imports from Israel. The sandwiches and Kosher food is great as well)

Latin American

• Taqueria D.F. (pure awesome tacos, just like ones I had in Mexico, taco truck on Claiborne)
• Fiesta Latina (great latin american food in midcity)
• Taqueria Guerrero (great latin american food in midcity)
• Juan’s Flying Burrito (magazine st and midcity. decent mexican food)
• Felipe’s (Near Tulane University and downtown. burrito line like Moe’s. good food and large portions for cheap. STRONG margaritas)
• Nacho Mama’s (s’alright)
• Sante Fe (meh, Tex-Mex)
• Centro Americano (awesome Carribean)
• Liborio’s Cuban Restaurant (still need to try)
• Boswell’s (good Jamaican food for a great price in midcity but meh service. hard to find, but right next to an Auto-Glass shop on Tulane near Broad. I would just order takeout from here)
• The Rum House (Magazine St. Good, but slightly overpriced. Great rum selection though, and the cocktails and margaritas were great.)

Bakeries

• La Boulangerie (pure awesome, French bakery)
• La Madeleine (meh, good food but not enticed to return)
• O’Delice French Bakery (not sure if I’ve been yet)
• Maple Street Bakery (not sure if I’ve been yet)

Pizza

• Cresent Pie & Sausage (For their pizza they use local sources and make their own house ingredients such as their sausage)
• Slice (pizza sold by slice as well as whole)
• New York Pizza
• Fellini’s
• Dough Bowl (aka “The Boot”, tons of Tulane kids, pizza sold by the slice)
• New York Pizza (meh)
• Reginelli’s (good, kinda expensive)
• Theo’s (good, kinda expensive)
• Garage Pizza (good, kinda expensive)
• Italian Pie (s’alright)

Coffee, Coffee, Caffeine

• Mojo’s (awesome coffee shop, no comfy seats)
• Nola Beans
• Bean Gallerie (has comfy seats)
• PJ’s (multiple spots)
• Community Coffee (multiple spots)
• Urban Cup (didn’t really have great coffee about a year ago)
• Orange Couch (nice atmosphere, good coffee, has comfy seats)
• Sound Cafe (I go there often, has comfy seats)
• Pucchino’s (closed :( )
• Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop (scares me)
• Zots (I go there often, has comfy seats, funky atmostphere, open late)
• Rue de la Course (no comfy seats)
• Starbucks (rarely go, too many great local coffee shops, seriously)

Pho (yes, I know where to go for pho)

• Pho Tau Bay (favorite, but on westbank)
• Pho Hoa (2nd favorite, also on westbank)
• Pho Orchid (near clearview, not traditional pho atmospher, has bubble tea)
• Pho Bang (metairie and nola east, very traditional atmosphere, no tap water … only bottle :( )

Thai

• Bankok Thai
• Basil Leaf  (kinda expensive)

Korean

• Gimchi’s

Japanese/Sushi

• Kanno’s (in Metairie. By far my favorite Japanese place in town)
• Sekisui (french quarter. really good sushi and service)
• Little Tokyo (in Midcity. This place gets fresh imports of delicious specials from Tsukiji every Thursday)
• Sake Cafe (meh)
• Ninja’s (food’s alright, good service though)
• Hana’s (meh)
• Okinawa (sushi buffet)
• Okinago (meh, has Hibachi)
• Shogun’s (Hibachi, buffet(?) )

Chinese

• Hoshun (has sushi also, ~$15-20 entres)
• Red Star (delivery)
• Yummy Yummy (never been, funny name, like a Panda Express)

Bar

• Molly’s on the Market (meh)
• Cooter Browns (good food, lots of beer on tap)
• Bulldog (good food, lots of beer on tap)
• Finn McCool’s (awesome neighborhood bar, midcity)
• Midcity Yacht Club (not real yacht club …, dogs allowed, great place)
• Bud Rips (awesome neighborhood bar as well, bywater)

Soul Food and Fried Chicken

• Dookie Chase’s (fried chicken, only lunch)
• Willie Mae’s (fried chicken, only lunch)
• Raising Canes  (LA chain of fried chicken)
• World of Wings (WOW wingery, chain)
• Voodoo BBQ (if you say BBQ is soul food)

Misc Awesome

• Crepe a la Carte
• Bennijin’s (good African food in the quarter, decently priced lunchs)
• Casemento’s (Oysters!, only open during oyster season)
• Cafe Reconcile (mission is to provide job training for at-risk youth)
• Nirvana (pretty good Indian food)
• Taj Mahal (pretty good Indian food)
• Tandoori Chicken (pretty good Indian food)
• Curry Corner (not sure if I’ve been there)
• Salt and Pepper (awesome Pakastani food, great curry, awesome goat curry)
• Mona’s (Mediterranean, hookah, good, cheap)
• Lebannons (Lebanese, good)
• Babalons
• Laziza’s (Mediterranean, hookah, Frenchman St)
• Beaucoup NOLA (healthy Snoballs)
• Plum St Snoballs
• Mandina’s (has large portions for ~$14-20 entres, great trout almadine and fried seafood)
• Vega Tapas Cafe (Delicious spanish tapas. price is reasonable for tapas. Very creative dish implemented elegantly. The amazing food feels out of place with the slightly run down atmosphere with paper-topped tables. 5-star food in a 2-star restaurant. Located in Old Metairie)

Grocery

• Hong Kong Market (huge selection, Westbank :( )
• Asian Gourmet (kenner, good japanese selection, small-medium size)
• Oriental Market (very small)
• Rouses (LA-owned, kinda like Publix)
• Roberts Fresh Market (step up from Rouses)
• Whole Foods (one on Magazine, one in Metairie)
• Zara’s (small, has good cheap cajun food and poboys)
• Caseco’s (small, neighborhood grocery, pretty sweet)
• Vam Foss (magazine street, Imported Vinegar and Oil filled straight from the casks. Sounds cool to me. need to check it out)

Good Service, Nice Food, Decent Price

• Cheesecake Bistro (St. Charles)
• Cheesecake Bistro (Veterans)
• The Country Club (really good, awesome place, has pool & hot tub)

Heard Good Reviews, but I Haven’t Tried Yet

• Café Mihn
• Columns
• Big Shirley’s (fried chicken, uptown)
• Cafe Atach Falaya
• Bayou BBQ
• Sarita’s
• La Crepe Nanou (kinda expensive, french)
• Liberty Kitchen
• Coco Hut (Jamaican)
• Delachaise
• La Petite Grocerie
• La Cote Brasserie
• Brennans
• Two Sister’s Kitchen (This Two Sisters is the one a few blocks from Canal and I-10)
• Baru Bistro & Tapas
• Mila
• A Mano
• Boucherie
• Marigny Brasserie

Wine/Liquor Sellers

• Martin’s Wine Seller
• Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits (never been)
• WINO (wine by the sip, pretty cool, kinda expensive)
• Elio’s (pretty cheap)
• Rite Aid (yes, rite aid has liquor here in New Orleans)

Crawfish Sellers (live & boiled)

• Kjean Seafood ( live crawfish, fresh seafood, and cooked crawfish/seafood in Midcity)
• Big Fisherman seafood (live crawfish, fresh seafood, and cooked crawfish on Magazine near the Bulldog … grab some and eat at the bulldog!)
• Metairie Seafood (haven’t been yet … but i hear there’s live seafood here too. it’s on airline between cleary and causeway)

Farmer’s Markets

• Hollygrove Market and Farm (Saturday mornings, has CSA-box style produce)
• Cresent Umbrella Market (Saturday mornings, warehouse district)
• Midcity Farmer’s Market (Thursday evening)
• Broadway Farmer’s Market (Tuesday morning)

Dishonorable Mentions

• Emeril’s (Never been, not interested)
• LA Pizza Kitchen (Uptown, bad service & food experience)
• Superior Grill (good margaritas, always  busy, meh food)